Apparel – Head coverings
Reexamination Certificate
2002-01-17
2003-05-20
Welch, Gary L. (Department: 3765)
Apparel
Head coverings
C002S181000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06564390
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to headbands and, more particularly, to headbands especially adapted for absorbing perspiration from a person's forehead.
2. Description of the Prior Art
When perspiration forms on a person's forehead, it often flow downward into the person's eyes and/or onto the person's eyeglasses. To avoid this undesirable result, throughout the years, a number of innovations have been developed relating to headbands, and the following U.S. patents are representative of some of those innovations: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,856,116, 5,146,630, 5,826,277, 5,946,734, and 5,987,647. More specifically, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,856,116 and 5,987,647 disclose headbands in which an absorbent core is provided with a covering. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,856,116, there is no tapering either from midportion height to end portion height or from midportion thickness to end portion thickness. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,987,647 there is a tapering from midportion height to end portion height, but there is no tapering from midportion thickness to end portion thickness. Thus, in both U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,856,116 and 5,987,647, there is no tapering from midportion thickness to end portion thickness. Because most perspiration forms at the midportion position, and lesser amounts of perspiration form at the end portion positions, it would be desirable if a headband apparatus were provided in which the midportion thickness were greater than the end portion thickness.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,146,630 discloses a headband in which a removable package containing granular moisture absorbent material is provided. To avoid the necessity of employing extraneous packages of granular perspiration absorbent material, it would be desirable if a headband were provided which does not include packages of granular perspiration absorbent material.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,826,277 discloses a headband which includes an elastic band and inelastic sponge material sewn onto the elastic band at predetermined alternating intervals. At the sewn seam locations, a minimum exposure of the inelastic sponge material is provided. To avoid a situation in which a minimum exposure of absorbent material is alternated with maximum exposure of absorbent material, it would be desirable if a headband were provided which does not include inelastic sponge material sewn onto an elastic band at alternating intervals.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,946,734 discloses a headband which includes rupturable, pressurized, fluid filled cells that provide impact protection to a person wearing the headband. However, the material comprising the rupturable, pressurized, fluid filled cells is inherently not perspiration absorbent. Thus, to maintain the desirable property of having a headband being perspiration absorbent, it would be desirable if a headband does not include rupturable, pressurized, fluid filled cells.
Still other features would be desirable in an absorbent headband apparatus. For example, it would be desirable to provide an specific absorbent layer, which is closest to the wearer's forehead, in which a midportion layer thickness is greater than the thickness at the ends of the specific absorbent layer. In this respect, the specific layer midportion tapers to the specific layer end portions.
Another desirable feature in a headband is to have the midportion height greater than the end portion height. In this respect, the present invention provides a headband in which the midportion height is greater than the end portion height.
Thus, while the foregoing body of prior art indicates it to be well known to use headbands that absorb perspiration from a wearer's forehead, the prior art described above does not teach or suggest an absorbent headband apparatus which has the following combination of desirable features: (1) the midportion thickness is greater than the end portion thickness; (2) does not include packages of granular perspiration absorbent material; (3) does not include inelastic sponge material sewn onto an elastic band at alternating intervals; (4) does not include rupturable, pressurized, fluid filled cells; (5) provides a specific absorbent layer, which is closest to the wearer's forehead, in which a midportion layer thickness is greater than the thickness at the ends of the specific absorbent layer; and (6) the midportion height is greater than the end portion height. The foregoing desired characteristics are provided by the unique absorbent headband apparatus of the present invention as will be made apparent from the following description thereof. Other advantages of the present invention over the prior art also will be rendered evident.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To achieve the foregoing and other advantages, the present invention, briefly described, provides a headband apparatus which includes a flexible, resilient C-shaped core member. A first absorbent layer is attached to the core member. A cloth layer is attached to the first absorbent layer, and a second absorbent layer is attached to an inside portion of the first absorbent layer under the cloth layer. The first absorbent layer jackets the core member. The core member is comprised of a flexible, resilient plastic material. The first absorbent layer is comprised of foam first material. The cloth layer jackets the first absorbent layer. The cloth layer is comprised of terrycloth material. The second absorbent layer is comprised of loose foam second material. When the midportion of the apparatus is placed on the forehead of a person, the first absorbent layer, the cloth layer, and the second absorbent layer are all capable of absorbing perspiration from the person's forehead.
The apparatus has a midportion and two end portions. The midportion has a midportion thickness. Each of the two end portions has an end portion thickness, and the midportion thickness is greater than the end portion thickness, whereby the thickness of the apparatus tapers from the midportion to the two end portions. Also, the midportion has a midportion height. Each of the two end portions has an end portion height, and the midportion height is greater than the end portion height, whereby the height of the apparatus tapers from the midportion to the two end portions.
The second absorbent layer includes a layer midportion which has a midportion layer thickness and includes two layer end portions which have an end layer thickness. The midportion layer thickness is greater than the end layer thickness, whereby the thickness of the second absorbent layer tapers from the layer midportion to the layer end portions.
The above brief description sets forth rather broadly the more important features of the present invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contributions to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will be for the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining a preferred embodiment of the invention in detail, it is understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of the construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood, that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for designing other structures, methods, and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
It is therefore an object of th
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